


Bedtime Story

by Thatonegothynerd



Series: Adventures of The Scarred [20]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 07:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20888750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatonegothynerd/pseuds/Thatonegothynerd
Summary: A 5 year-old Arabella wants one story more.





	Bedtime Story

“Please Daddy, just one more story?” the five-year-old Arabella begged at bedtime. 

“Well,” Dryden said, pretending to consider, “it is late, angel.”

“Pleeeeeeeaaseeeeee? Just one more?” the small girl pleaded.

“Of course, angel. What story would you like me to tell?” he conceded, smiling at his daughter. 

“Guess!” she demanded.

“Hmmmm, one about pirates?” he said, knowing it was wrong.

“Nope!”

“Maybe one with lots of sword fights and blood?” he said, falling over in an over exaggerated fake death gasp.

“Ewwww!” she said, giggling at his mock death.

Dryden slipped into a proper, dull voice and said,“Maybe one about history, with lots of long boring lists of names and-”

“No! I want the one about the princess and the monster!” she said, proud to have outsmarted him.

“Again, angel? Four nights in a row?”

“Yes! It’s my favorite Daddy. Please?”

“Of course. Now lie down and try to sleep.” 

Arabella did as she was told and Dryden tucked her in. 

“Once upon a time, there was a handsome prince, who lived alone in his castle. He had servants and chefs and maids galore, but no friends or family to speak of. You see, the prince was not very nice. He had a terrible temper and never shared his wealth.

“One night, an old, ugly woman came to his door when there was a terrible storm .  She asked for shelter for the evening, but the prince denied her. When he did, she transformed before him into a beautiful enchantress. He tried to apologize, but it was too late. The Enchantress doomed him to a monstrous form, showing the truth of his greedy heart. The only way to break this curse, was to have someone love him for the content of his heart, despite his hideous appearance.”

“But Daddy, he’s not so bad!” Arabella interjected. 

“No, angel, he doesn’t  _ end up _ bad. He does start out terrible and greedy though.”

“But he changes and gets better.”

“He does, angel. He does, but in order to change for the better, someone has to start out not so good.”

“Okay,” Arabella said, settling back into bed.

“Now a few years passed, and on the other side of the woods, there was a small town where a beautiful maiden lived with her father. The maiden was the most beautiful girl to have ever lived. She had shiny black hair, bright white eyes, and pale pink skin.”

“She looked just like me,” Arabella proudly declared. 

“Yes she did, angel. Because you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.”

“But you said my mommy was the prettiest person you’ve ever met. Does that mean I’m even prettier than my mommy?” Arabella asked. 

Dryden paused, but only slightly. His daughter didn’t notice the pain in his voice as he said, “Yes. Even more beautiful than your mommy.”

Arabella just nodded at the confirmation and waited for him to continue.

“The maiden was very beautiful, but the rest of the town didn’t accept her. She was different than them. They saw her as odd and strange and she never really fit in there.

“Then one day, the maiden’s father was traveling through the woods when he went missing. She didn’t know what had happened to him, so she went into the woods after him. The woods were dark and dangerous, but she knew her father needed her, so she was brave. 

“When she exited the woods, the maiden saw a beautiful castle. She went inside and found the hideous cursed prince had imprisoned her father. She begged him to let her father leave and he agreed, on the one condition that she would stay in his stead. She agreed to save his life, dooming herself.”

“I would do that for you Daddy,” Arabella bravely declared. “I don’t want anyone to hurt you ever because you’re the best Daddy in the whole world.”

“Thank you angel. My only hope is that you never have to.” Dryden brushed the hair from Arabella’s face as he spoke and she settled further into her pillow, eyelids drooping.

“Over time, the monster learned that he loved the maiden, and she felt for his condition, but she did not say that she loved him. He knew that she did not wish to live the rest of her life with him in isolation, so he set her free. She returned home to her village where her father had told everyone the tale of the hideous beast living in the castle. The village became a mob and was determined to kill him. The maiden rode as fast as she could back to his castle, to warn him of the impending mob, but they reached him first. The monster did not fight against them, thinking that the maiden sent them, having every right to hate him. Without her love, he did not see a point of going on. By the time the maiden reached the castle, the beastly prince was near dead. It was in that moment that she realized that she truly did love him. 

“Upon her realization, the monster transformed before her back into the handsome prince he once was, completely unharmed. He told her that he loved her, and she told him the same. The two were married and they both lived happily ever after.”

“Daddy,” Arabella said, eyes closed and barely conscious, “Will I get to live happily ever after some day?”

“Of course, angel. Of course you will, and someday, I’ll be the proudest man to have lived when I give you away to the luckiest man in all the planes on the day of your happily ever after.” Dryden pressed a gentle kiss onto his daughter’s forehead as he left the room, Arabella gently breathing in a restful rhythm. “Goodnight, angel, and sweet dreams.”

……

Twenty-two years later, Avarice knew all of the words to the story by heart as she recited the tale of the maiden and the beast prince to Von. It was still her favorite story. 

As a child, Arabella had always seen herself as the maiden, beautiful, but different and an outcast. She didn’t fit in because of things beyond her control. Now Avarice saw only the beast. A creature of greed that no one could love. Except the beastly prince had found a maiden that loved him, hadn’t he? And she had found a knight in shining armor that loved her all the same.


End file.
